Anything for Love
by Uriel Godfire
Summary: At the end of Movie 2, Ranma is rescuing Akane when things go wrong and Ranma must blow up his possible cure. What if it ended different? what if Akane decided she'd do anyhting... for love?  Rated M for mature themes and descriptions
1. Chapter 1

The following story is rated M for mature readers only.  
It contains adult themes and descriptive nudity.  
Reader discretion is advised.

In the climactic scene of Ranma ½: Movie 2 – Nihao My Concubine, Toma, the prince of Togenkyo is racing with Akane to the bottom of the chamber containing the sacred spring that turns any living creature into a man. Ranma is fighting to rescue Akane when things go terribly wrong and our hero and the fair lady find themselves plummeting through the air toward the water below. Ranma sacrifices his chance for a cure to his curse, telling Akane, "I like you just the way you are."

What if it happened just a little different? What if Akane realized that she'd do…

"Anything for Love"

by

Uriel Godfire

A Fanfiction based on Ranma ½ by Rumiko Takahashi

"You can't have her! Akane is my fiancé!" Ranma shouted as he slammed his foot down into the track.

The cart flipped into the air dumping its passengers before slamming into the wall ahead. Prince Toma managed to grab a support beam but could only stare in shock as Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome plummeted toward the springs below. Akane could scarcely hear Toma shout "Akane!" as the wind rushed past her, the sacred spring fast approaching.

"I've gotta destroy the spring Akane!" Ranma shouted as Akane latched on to him.

"But Ranma! Your cure?" Akane asked.

"Didn't you say you liked me just the way I am?" Ranma asked. "Well I like you just the way you are. I gotta do it!"

Akane thought back to all the times Ranma had put himself on the line for her. This was her chance to do something for Ranma. She wrapped her arms tightly around Ranma, "no."

Ranma's eyes widened as he felt Akane wrap him up. He struggled against her grip, trying to get into a position to release a Moko Takabisha to destroy the pool below. "What are you doing Akane? Let go, I gotta…"

"No," Akane almost whispered this time, and held on tighter.

"You gotta let me go," Ranma said frantically, struggling with everything he could to get out of Akane's vice like grip. "The cure is not that important, I have to destroy it, for you."

Akane's voice was almost hoarse, tears brimming at her eyes, as she whispered into his ear, "you dummy, I know you've been looking for this cure since you arrived from China."

"But…" Ranma sputtered.

"And I know you don't love me, Ranma, you always say so," Akane told him, crying fully now, "at least this is something I can do for you."

"No, Akane…"

"You won't have to worry about marrying your un-cute fiancé now Ranma," Akane said tears streaming from her eyes. They were seconds from the spring, "I know you don't feel the same way, but," she whispered moments before impact, "I love y…"

The two of them hit the sacred spring of Togenkyo, sending a spout of water up into the air. Moments were like minutes as Ranma felt himself shrink into his now familiar female form in the cold water. In that moment he thought maybe they were lucky, and this wasn't the cursed man water of Togenkyo, and Akane would be alright. Then he saw the light fill the water around Akane and himself. He felt a familiar shift, though slightly different as his body once again shifted gender, though more slowly than the near instantaneous Jusenkyo curse. Akane was pressed against his back, and he felt the change that frightened him the most. Where moments ago Akane's breasts had been pressed tightly against his back, now there was slowly forming a hard muscular chest. Ranma didn't have time to dwell as the two men struck the bottom of the spring, hard. Akane's now longer and cord like arms released Ranma, as Akane started to thrash about in the water. Ranma slipped out from beneath the newly formed man and grabbed his arm, dragging Akane toward the edge of the spring. Ranma burst from the surface of the water, gasping for breath and hauled the panicked Akane out to the edge.

"Grab on to the edge Akane," Ranma told the panicked boy, noticing a slight change from his usual male voice, but setting that aside for now. Akane gasped for breath, grasping the edge tight as Ranma got his bearings, noticing the landing at the far edge of the pool. "Come on Akane, you have to circle around the edge to the other side, the landing is over there."

Akane found that while it dropped off pretty fast, it wasn't as steep so as to deny him footing. He and Ranma quickly made their way around to the landing, Ranma swimming across slowly to stick with Akane. They climbed out onto the landing and Akane lay back on the hard floor to calm himself and catch his breath. Akane looked down at himself, noticing that he was a bit taller than before the change. He had to blush a bit when he saw how the short white dress clung to himself now that it was wet, not to mention a size too small. Then the former girl felt it for the first time, panicking in his mind as he felt himself squeezed and compressed into the tight panties he had been wearing before falling into the spring. Ranma for his part hadn't really looked over at Akane yet, busying himself with scoping out their way out, while subconsciously avoiding looking at the ex-girl. It was Akane's scream that first drew Ranma's attention.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Akane screamed, eyes going wide at the baritone voice that just came out. Ranma spun at the new voice and looked at Akane for the first time. The new boy was taller than when he was a she, now about the same height as Kasumi. Akane was definitely very fit, with an athletic build. His strong cordlike arms were attached to a chiseled, but not huge, chest, and the now very out of place looking skirt didn't hide an inch of Akane's powerfully built thighs. His face was harder, more masculine than before, especially in the jaw, but still had a feminine quality overall. All in all Akane looked like an underwear model for Calvin Kline. The look on his face was a mix of pain, fear, and surprise.

"What's wrong Akane?" Ranma asked, slightly disturbed at how his voice now compared to Akane. He silently noted that his voice currently was quite a bit higher than Akane's baritone, higher even than his usual voice.

Akane blushed deep red as he stammered, "too, um, tight… you know," and waved in the general direction of his hips.

"Too tight?" asked Ranma confused.

"You know, down… there," Akane stammered. He noted the confused look on Ranma's face, "um, I was wearing… panties before we fell into the spring," he nearly whispered unable to look at Ranma with his full face flush.

Ranma got the hint, and grimaced as he too took on a red flushed hue. "Well uh, you should probably, you know, go without, for a bit, until we find you something better," Ranma said, turning away from Akane.

"Oh, uh, ok," Akane said with a small nod. "It's not like you haven't seen one before," he said trying to reassure his self, but dreading finding that for the first time. Slowly he reached up under the skirt, and grabbed the too tight panties, pulling them down. The immediate release of pressure was a good thing, until he felt it fall against his thigh. The shock finally set in as Akane stared down at his new penis, resting against his thigh, and just began to stammer, "no, no, no, no…"

"What's wrong now?" asked Ranma as he turned back around. The sight that greeted him was Akane, with his old panties down to his knees, just staring at the penis resting on his thigh. "Now's not the time Akane, we gotta get moving, it's a long way to the top," he told the stunned boy, trying to get him out of his funk. It wasn't working. Ranma grabbed Akane's shoulder and shook him, "come on Akane, cry about it later, I want to get out of here." Akane nodded, and with a sniffle and a couple of tears, pulled off the panties. He held them for a moment, looked down at himself again, and then he sighed and tossed the useless garment away. He looked at Ranma and wiped away some tears, standing up to join him. Ranma hadn't noticed it when he was sitting down, but now that he was standing he noticed that Akane was taller than he was, not by much, just by about the same as the difference in their girl heights.

Ranma took the lead as they started up the long spiral track. They walked in silence, both with a lot on their mind. Ranma was trying to avoid looking at the new man behind him. He could not help thinking that this was his own fault. Over and over Ranma recalled the insults, the litany of character faults he usually spewed whenever someone even so much as insinuated that he liked Akane. What else was he supposed to do? If he and Akane got along, well, they would be married immediately, and he just was not ready to be married yet. Why did the stupid tomboy have to take everything so seriously?

Akane's mind was slipping into panic mode as it delved into all the questions he had been unable to consider before making this decision. Now that he was a man, he would have to use men's restrooms, in public, and the men's side at public baths. He'd see other men, naked. Akane began to blush as he thought about his new situation. His look changed to one of fear as his thoughts moved on to school, what was he going to tell all his friends? He'd be in the boy's gym class, and would have to change with them, and with Ranma. He looked up ahead to his ex-fiancé. Akane had failed to notice it earlier, being focused on his own new body, but Ranma did not look entirely like his original male self. First off he was shorter, not as short as his old female body, but shorter than normal, and slimmer than normal as well. What had the spring done? It was still definitely Ranma walking up ahead, just like it still Ranma when he was a girl, if you knew what you were looking for. The male Ranma, that Akane knew so well, was no doubt all male, with a very masculine build. The boy walking up ahead was more like one of the main characters in a girl's romance comic, the kind his school friends Saiyuri and Yuka were always fawning over. Where his old male form was very masculine, this one was rather feminine, as beautiful as his other male form was handsome. Then it struck Akane, the spring must have changed his girl side, like it did that crab on the beach, making a male body with characteristics from the original, which in this case was short and very feminine looking. Did this mean that Ranma would have two different male forms now? Is this what happened to his body? Did he look as feminine as Ranma's new form, or was he too much of a tomboy before? Would he recognize himself when he looked in a mirror?

The questions continued to panic Akane, and the guilt weighed heavily on Ranma as they trudged up the track. They had been walking for about half an hour when they were brought out of their respective funks by a clearing throat. Ranma looked up and saw the young prince Toma standing before them, which brought a scowl to his face. "What now you little twerp?" Ranma asked.

"Nothing now, I guess I have to start over." Toma said.

"Start over?" Ranma growled. Ranma couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. He'd ruined someone's life and all he was concerned about was starting over his search for a bride.

"Of course, you don't expect me to marry Akane now do you? I'm not into guys." Toma said, totally missing Ranma's meaning. He also missed Ranma's fist as it struck him in the face, sending him crashing to the ground.

"What about the lives you've ruined in your little quest? Huh? Did you ever think about that?" Ranma said, trembling in fury. Toma held his bleeding nose as he looked up at Ranma wide eyed. Akane grabbed Ranma's shoulder and pulled him back.

"Prince Toma," Akane said, shaking his head, he was never going to get used to this voice. "Ranma's right, this needs to stop, you need to stop. Kidnapping women won't get them to like you, not the way you want."

Toma looked up at Akane and sighed, "I guess you're right, I certainly don't want to see any more tragedies like today." Ranma snorted at the comment about tragedies. Toma continued, "Maybe I'll visit the locals next time I'm we're near land."

"Gee, maybe if you thought of that before all this, nothing would have happened," Ranma replied with a derisive glare.

"Ranma! That's enough," Akane scolded. Then he looked back at the prince. "Do you have a quicker way out of here or do we have to climb all that?" Akane asked, looking up at the long spiral ramp above them. Prince Toma grinned.

"Of course, let me show you." Toma reached into his shirt and pulled out a small shiny silver token, shaped like a peach, "grab my shoulders."

"Why?" Ranma asked staring at the prince with distrust. He grabbed the shoulder none the less, as did Akane. The small token shone and there was a brilliant pink flash as they were all surrounded by a glowing sphere that lifted them off and up into the air. Akane, startled, grabbed Toma's shoulder tighter, as they lifted into the air, rapidly ascending the shaft. Moments later they were back at the top and standing in Toma's private chamber, where the fight had first begun.

Toma shrugged away from Ranma and Akane, and walked over to a side table where a vase of water stood. He poured himself a glass and headed toward the couch. "Damn, this day was looking so good to," Toma said as he flopped down onto the couch, "I really was looking forward to marrying you Akane, you genuinely seemed a wonderful woman."

"You never had a chance twerp!" Ranma told him.

"Oh yes, you've seen to that haven't you," Toma said as he rolled his eyes at Ranma, "totally pleased with your so called rescue are you?"

"Why you little…" Ranma made to lunge at the boy prince. Akane grabbed his arm and stopped him before it could escalate. Ranma couldn't help noticing the power in Akane's steel like grip.

"Oh no Ranma, you aren't starting this up again," Akane told him. Turning to Toma, still holding back Ranma, "Toma, prince, please we don't want to argue this all with you. We need to get back together with our friends, and then we can all just go our separate ways."

"Of course, my apologies Akane, I shall call my attendant immediately and we'll get this whole thing sorted out."

"You better jerk," Ranma said with a huff as he pulled away from Akane and began pacing around the room.

Akane stopped Toma before he could leave. "Um while you're doing that, do you have a towel, and maybe some clothes I could change into?" Akane asked with a blush, pointing to his too small and now ridiculous looking dress.

Toma pointed to a door at the back of the room, "my dressing chamber is through there, take what you need, it's the least I can do," he said with a sad smile. Then Toma headed out to find an attendant. Akane headed back into Toma's dressing chamber, and froze in marvel at the displays of opulence. There was a bathing alcove larger than the entire Tendo family bathroom and changing room together. Clothes were displayed in a walk in closet that dwarfed his bedroom back home. After getting over the grandness of it all he found a towel and began looking trough the clothes for something that would even fit, as all the clothes seemed to be tailored to Toma's much smaller frame. Akane found a pair of shorts that looked like it was tailored to be very loose on the prince, and would probably fit his new body snuggly if not comfortably. Taking them and a light shirt that looked like it might fit similarly he took a deep breath and prepared himself for what he was going to see. He'd been trying to ignore his new body as much as he could so far, but he'd have to deal with it now. Akane took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then slid the dress from his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. The air was cool on his skin as he opened one eye and looked down. There it was, across a lean, well toned body, his new manhood, just hanging between powerful thighs. He opened both eyes and looked in a full length mirror. Staring back at Akane in the mirror was a naked young man, a good looking naked young man. Akane was blushing furiously when he felt it, his body was beginning to react in ways it never could before now. That was too much.

Ranma was pacing around Toma's chamber, far too worked up to sit or relax. Mr. Tendo was going to kill him. Ryoga was going to kill him. Kuno was going to try to kill him, because there was no way Kuno would ever get even close. Ranma wasn't even sure he really would try to stop any of them, it was partly his fault, his and that brat's. Maybe he could convince them that they all needed to get revenge on Toma first, and then they could kill him. In the midst of contemplating his impending doom, Ranma heard it. Akane's deep and terrifying scream. Casting aside thoughts of suicide he switched to defensive mode and rushed into the bathroom. Ranma found Akane naked, staring at himself in the mirror, a shocked and horrified look on his blushing face. Ranma also couldn't help but notice the erection, the very large erection. No one could have missed that thing, Ranma noted to himself with a small hint of jealousy. "Damn it Akane, cover up already!" Ranma told the shocked boy, "you act like you've never seen it before." Ranma flashed back to the first day he met the Tendos and the encounter he had in the bathroom.

"B...but why did… why did it do… that?" Akane asked, "oh god, it just happened…" he continued stammering. Ranma sighed and walked over, grabbing the shorts Akane had laid out and handing them to him.

"It does, and there's nothin' you can really do about it." Ranma said as he looked away.

"But why? Why so big?" Akane continued to stammer as he tried to pull the shorts on over the un-cooperating member. Ranma started laughing in pity. "Hey!" Akane exclaimed, "why are you laughing?" Akane scowled furiously and once he finished getting his shorts on, punched Ranma, hard.

Ranma continued to chuckle lightly, even as he admitted silently to himself that Akane's punch really had some power behind it. "I didn't know you were so narcissistic Akane," Ranma told him with a grin. "Liked what you saw in the mirror did you?"

Akane's face turned bright red as he finally figured out what Ranma was telling him. Then he quickly donned the tight shirt, and looked in the mirror again, to see a handsome, some would say hot, boy. Akane sighed as it began to sink in that this hot guy in the mirror was him, and it was going to be him, probably for a long time. Then he took a play from Ranma's book, "well yes I did like what I saw Ranma. I can understand if you're jealous. I'm better built." It came out as if it were simply a matter of fact.

It was Ranma's turn to scowl, trying hard not to show it, as he mumbled something under his breath resembling, "yeah right, in your dreams." Ranma looked at himself and Akane, side by side in the mirror, noticing that the height ratio between the pair was similar to as it was when they were both girls before. There was something else in the mirror as well, something that he couldn't place a finger on, something that just didn't seem right, other than a male Akane. He let it slide for now; there would be time later to figure this out. Looking up at Akane, Ranma sighed "come on 'stud muffin' let's get out of here and go see if the others are alright."


	2. Chapter 2

Ranma couldn't help but feel something was off as he and Akane walked down the hall to meet back up with the others. Yes, obviously Akane was a guy now, and taller, but there was something else. For his part, Akane was too distracted by the new feeling of being a guy, or rather he was distracted by how much he should be bothered, but wasn't. Magic sucked. Akane fidgeted in the clothes he'd borrowed from prince Toma, they really weren't cut for a guy his size.

"Just stop Akane, I told ya that we'll get you some better fitting clothes when we get out of here," Ranma said.

"They're just so tight though, I feel exposed," Akane said.

Ranma sighed. "Well it's better than being naked. I'm not much better off," Ranma said pointing to his light tank top and small beach shorts.

Akane scoffed. "At least your shorts have some room in them. I feel like these show off everything."

"Trust me, they don't show off everything," Ranma said. This seemed to reassure Akane, for the moment, but he still looked bothered. As long as the complaining stopped.

It wasn't too long before they returned to the main hall, and most of the others were just arriving as well. Shampoo was supporting a unconscious and badly beaten Mousse. Ukyo seemed ready to slap Ryoga, who was clearly frustrated about something. Nabiki just dismissed Kuno's contemptuous snarls while she dragged him to regroup with the others. Kasumi just smiled and offered her father and Mr. Saotome some refreshments leftover from the lunch she had had with those nice gentlemen. Cologne was busy keeping Happosai in check.

"Nabiki Tendo, unhand me at once. I must be off to help your fair sister, who knows what depravities are being forced upon her."

"Kuno baby, I'm sure Ranma has the situation handled already."

Ranma felt relieved, for a moment, everyone else seemed ok, more or less. He looked over at Akane before they headed down the stairs to the others, this was not going to be good. Akane seemed to be thinking the same thing, and was fidgeting nervously again. With a deep breath, Ranma took a step down the stairs, Akane right behind him. "Yo," he called out to the others below.

"Ranma honey!" Ukyo called out, pushing Ryoga aside. Every one turned toward Ranma and Akane.

"Where's Akane?" Nabiki asked, "and who's this guy?"

"Yeah, where's Akane?" Ryoga added, "Don't tell me you failed Ranma, that prince Toma got away with her."

"I did no such thing," Toma called out from another balcony, everyone turning to look at him. "Ranma did indeed take Akane from me, but I'm afraid the story doesn't end there."

"What is he talking about Ranma?" Nabiki asked, sounding a little worried, "Where is Akane?"

"Well uh, you see," Ranma stammered.

"Out with it cur," Kuno said, cutting Ranma off, "What happened to my beloved Akane? If you hurt her…"

"Oh no, my baby girl!" Soun cried out, "Ranma! Where is my baby?"

Ryoga was furious, his aura flaring around him. "Ranma," he said quietly, "You go off to rescue Akane and come back with some strange guy. What happened to her Ranma?" The menace in his quiet voice stilled the room. "Well? Where is she?"

"He," replied a voice Ryoga hadn't heard before, deeper and more masculine. It snapped him from his fury, for a moment at least. "The question is 'where is he?'" said Akane, "and he is right here."

"Oh my," Kasumi said, breaking the silence that had settled over the room. Ryoga's fury returned, and his wrath was redoubled.

"Ranma!" Ryoga shouted at the top of his lungs, "How can you call yourself a man!" He leapt up the stairs, fist cocked back to pound Ranma into the ground. Ranma dove down the stairs, narrowly missing the stone crushing blow only to find himself immediately on the defensive from a series of bokken strikes.

"So, my true adversary finally reveals himself," Kuno shouted as he pressed forward with his rapid sword thrusts. "You have finally made your true intentions known."

Ranma knew he had to end this quick, and hearing Ryoga's growl from behind him, fell straight back. Ryoga plowed right over him, into Kuno's wooden sword, which shattered against Ryoga's onslaught. The resulting collision knocked Kuno out cold. Ranma kipped up and tackled Ryoga, locking around his head. "Look here Ryoga, you think I wanted this to happen? You think I didn't try everything? I would have given up this stupid cure, in a heartbeat." Ranma took a moment, and the whole room stopped to listen, "she wouldn't let me."

"Oh, so you're blaming Akane now? That's low Ranma."

Ranma slammed Ryoga's hard head into the floor, "blame Akane? What kind of ass do you take me for? What Akane did was braver and more selfless than anything we've ever done. The only one to blame is standing up on that balcony, looking down on all of us." Ranma twisted Ryoga's head to look up at Toma, "if you want a piece of him, good luck. Personally, I'm done with him."

Toma sighed, "look, for what it's worth, I'm sorry Ranma."

"It's not me you need to apologize to buddy," Ranma said.

"You are right, of course Ranma," Toma said. He looked Akane in the eyes, "Akane Tendo, your life has been forever changed by my actions, I am truly sorry."

Akane just nodded, not quite ready to forgive the prince yet.

"For future reference Prince," Ukyo said, "kidnapping women doesn't earn you points with them."

"You've got plenty of resources that you could use to help you attract women," Nabiki added with a smirk, "There's no need to force them."

"I shall remember that for the future," said Toma, "and please, as but a small token of apology enjoy the hospitality of my island for as long as you stay."

"Thanks, but no thanks pal," said Ranma, "but I think I'd rather be headed home."

"I'm afraid master Ranma, that that will be quite impossible under the current circumstances," said the monkey man as he limped into the hall, still quite battered from Ryoga's powerful chi blast.

"Don't you start that up again jerk," Ranma said, preparing for a new fight.

"Do not misunderstand me master Ranma, I meant no malice," the monkey man, "I merely meant to say that this is a floating island, and we are currently much too far from the island you came from for you to return to your boat."

"What!"

"Worry not, we should be close enough to Japan in a couple weeks, you can return then."

"A couple weeks? You're crazy!" Ranma was shouting.

Nabiki stepped up, "room and board and full amenities for everyone here and all the girls you kidnapped."

"Of course, I would have it no other way, my island is yours, enjoy yourselves," said Toma.

"Nabiki!" Akane shouted.

"Hey, we're going to be here anyways," said Nabiki, "you heard them, we might as well get a nice vacation out of it."

Toma turned to his guards, "see to it that they get everything they need." He sighed, "you've given me a lot to think about, everyone. Please, enjoy yourselves, I need a little time."

Toma left and the tension in the room dropped. Ryoga grunted uncomfortably, "uh Ranma? Let me up?"

"You're not going to attack me are you?"

"Only if you don't let me up," Ryoga growled.

Ranma released Ryoga from the hold and hopped off his back. The rest of the crew all gathered at the bottom of the stairs. Soun looked at Akane, already in tears, Happosai right beside him. "My poor sweet Akane, why did this have to happen?" Soun wailed.

"Such a travesty against nature, to steal such treasure from the world," Happosai cried, "I will have to hold on to the memories of sweet Akane's bosom. Forever shall her sweet panties hold a place next to my heart." Happosai pulled a pair of Akane's old panties from inside his shirt and dried his tears.

Akane was furious, and punted the distracted master, sending him out a high window. Kasumi put a hand on Akane's shoulder, "Akane, little sister or little brother, we'll still love you."

"Yeah Akane, what Kasumi said," Nabiki said. She grinned and gave Akane a deliberately obvious once over, "I think I can find it in me to accept your new, hot…"

"Very hot," Ukyo added.

"Yes, very hot form," Nabiki finished, raising an eyebrow at Ukyo's little slip, filing the information away for later.

"Nabiki!" Kasumi scolded, "lusting after your little brother is wrong, even if he is very attractive."

"Eww! Nabiki! How could you even think of that?" Akane said.

"Have you looked in a mirror yet Akane? You can't blame a girl for admiring the view." Nabiki replied.

"Gah! My own sister, a pervert!" said Akane, growing frustrated. "I'm going to keep my eyes on you."

Nabiki chuckled, "you know I'm just playing Akane. Sister, brother, you're still family."

"Wahh! My youngest daughter is now a boy and Nabiki is a pervert!" Soun cried.

"There, there father. Akane's not gone, you just traded a daughter for a son," Kasumi said to console her distraught father.

"Traded a daughter for a son?" Soun asked. "I have a son," he told himself as the concept dawned on him, "I have a son," The change in him was dramatic, "Saotome, did you hear that? I have a son!"

"Congratulations Tendo!" Genma said, slapping his old buddy on the back, "This calls for celebration."

"Indeed Saotome," Soun said, searching the room, "There's got to be some sake here somewhere."

"If you come with me sirs," one of Toma's servants said, "I can get you some."

Genma grinned. "Lead on man," he said, as they followed the servant out of the hall.

"Dad!" Akane shouted. The two fathers ignored him as they rounded a corner out of sight.

"Just ignore them, Akane. Let them get it out of their system," said Ranma.

"You know they're much more…" Nabiki pondered the correct word, "…pliable when they've had a few rounds."

Ranma's stomach growled. "Um, maybe I can forgive the Prince enough to enjoy some of his food," Ranma said. Everyone stopped and looked at him. "What? It's been a while since I've eaten."

"About two hours Ranma honey," Ukyo said.

"Like I said, it's been a while," Ranma said.

Nabiki rolled her eyes, "you are so simple Ranma." She looked round the hall and waved over one of the servants, "So, I think my friends and I will take up the prince's offer of hospitality. Starting with some food," then Nabiki looked down at the unconscious Kuno and sighed, "and if you wouldn't mind, bring him along and we'll toss him in a comfortable corner."

The servant led the group out of the main hall, off toward a dining room, leaving only Shampoo, Cologne, and a still unconscious Mousse in the main hall. Shampoo looked troubled, something which hadn't escaped Cologne's notice. "I know that look child. You can tell granny what's troubling you."

"It is confusing great-grandma, Shampoo loose biggest obstacle to husband. Should be all happy." Shampoo said.

"But?" Cologne asked, intrigued by where Shampoo was headed with this.

"Is too cruel, Akane becoming man. All just so Ranma no longer have to turn into woman." Shampoo said, her concern and confusion playing across her face.

Cologne wanted to smile, but held herself, "Explain yourself dear. I want to know where you're going with this."

Shampoo carefully lowered Mousse to the ground, still unconscious, and thought for a moment. "Long time ago, first sisters separate themselves from the rule of the imperial Chinese patriarchy, vowing they never be beneath men ever again. They swear oath, protect women, never force woman to change self to be part of stupid man's world. Amazons are women and strong, no need become man to be strong. I beat Akane woman to woman, take Ranma as is my right as strongest. Akane should no give up being self just so a man can gain small benefit. If sacrifice womanhood for saving Ranma's life, maybe ok, very noble. Giving up womanhood to make Ranma feel more manly, a waste."

"Do you blame Akane then child?" Cologne asked.

Shampoo paused again for thought, "Akane stupid, yes, but not her fault." Shampoo began to pace, "Akane brainwashed. Akane live in stupid country, with stupid men rules. Told all life to be second to stupid men, even when better than them. Prince Toma also bad bad man. Prince treat woman like animal. He round women up and grade them like horse trader looking for prize horse. When he find one he like, funny how it strong outspoken Akane, he just kidnap her. No, it not Akane fault, it Toma, it her father who fail to teach her right, it her culture. If Akane raised amazon way, she would have fought to last breath."

Cologne couldn't help herself now, she was smiling. She put a hand out to stop the pacing Shampoo, giving her arm an affectionate squeeze. "I'm very proud of you child, you are a fine amazon, and one day you will make a fine leader. You are right, this is a wasteful tragedy, but let us not also waste the opportunity it affords us. Stupid man or not, Ranma's strength is undeniable. We will mourn the loss of a woman and take the man we came for. Bringing his strength into the tribe will help us fight against this sort of tragedy in the future."

Shampoo nodded affirmatively. "What we do now great-grandma?" she asked.

"For now we join the others, observe, and comfort your husband. This will be a great opportunity to win his favor. We'll wait until we return to Japan to make our next play," Cologne said.

"Great-grandma very wise," Shampoo said before turning to one of Toma's servants. "Show us to meet with friends yes?"

"Of course miss."

"Oh, and find stupid Mousse place to rest," Shampoo added as an afterthought as they left to join the others.

* * *

Ranma loaded up a second plate full of dumplings as Akane just watched amusedly. Nabiki took her time enjoying an opulent selection of fine fruits, smirking inwardly as she watched Ukyo fail to be stealthy while sneaking glances at Akane's well-toned body. Ryoga was nearly as bad as Ranma, polishing off his first heaping plate of stir-fry.

"So, Ranma, tell me again, what exactly happened?" Nabiki asked.

Ranma sighed, he wasn't looking forward to this part. "Look, I had that brat all figured out, and he knew it," Ranma began, "so he grabbed Akane and ran. The spring is at the bottom of a long shaft, circled with this mine cart thing. He takes Akane for a ride, and I'm right on their heels. I go to stop the cart and the damn thing flips into the air. Next thing I know we're fallin' and I gotta do something." He pauses and tosses down the dumpling he'd been holding. Ranma drops his head into his hands, "I tried; I really did. I was ready to put everything I had into one last blast." He looked back up, pleading with his eyes, "I knew it would be enough. I was going to blow the whole damn spring apart."

"I couldn't let you do that Ranma," Akane said quietly.

Ranma just stared at Akane. "That's the stupidest, most bone headed thing I think I've ever heard you say," Ranma replied.

"What was that?" Akane asked.

"You heard me," Ranma said. "You were being stupid."

Akane growled. "Say that again Ranma."

"I will," Ranma said, "a thousand times if I have to. You were stupid."

Akane jumped up and lunged at Ranma. "You macho jerk, I did you a favor," Akane said between punches, all easily dodged by Ranma. "You should be thanking me."

Ranma ducked Akane's round house kick. "Thanking you? For what?" he asked, dancing untouched through a flurry of snap kicks.

"For curing your curse idiot!" Akane shouted. The fight had stopped, for the moment and he stared Ranma down, frustrated at his lack of ability to even hit the jerk. "All you've done since you arrived at our house was complain about your curse," Akane continued in a more civil tone, "and your chance to be rid of it was finally here. I couldn't let you pass that up."

Ranma just shook his head, "and now look at you, worse off than I was. You can't even change back with hot water." Ranma looked disappointed, "you never thought that maybe the cost was far too high for the benefit?"

Nabiki stood and walked over to the arguing pair. "Didn't you just get done telling us that what Akane did was far braver than anything you've done?"

"Sure, but that doesn't make it less stupid. Idiocy and bravery can easily go hand in hand," Ranma said. "Trust me, I'm an expert."

Nabiki considered Ranma for a bit. "You make a good point."

"Nabiki!" Akane shouted. "Don't take his side."

"Listen Akane," said Ranma, "you decided, without asking me, that my curse was more important than you. Did my curse really bother you that much?"

Akane lost his words for a moment. Was Ranma really asking him this? This wasn't fair. He'd done this for Ranma, but they were turning it around on him. What did Ranma mean that he'd decided that Ranma's curse was more important than him, or at the time, her. Did the curse bother him? He'd only ever known Ranma with the curse, how could Ranma think that. "How could you think that Ranma? But you…"

"But what Akane? Huh? But what?" Ranma said.

Akane began to backpedal, "You, you always talk about how much you hate being a girl." Akane was on the verge of crying. "I didn't care about your curse," he said getting very quiet, "but I cared about you. You always do so much for me, I just wanted to do something for you."

"Well, look how well your good deed turned out. We went from one person with the wrong gender some of the time, to one person with the wrong gender all of the time," said Ranma, growling in frustration. Ranma started to pace now, his frustration preventing him from looking up at Akane. "I mean, like it wasn't awkward enough being the only guy in school with a fiancé, now my fiancé is a guy. How am I going to explain this huh?"

There was stunned silence. The shuffle of Ranma's bare feet as he paced on the extravagant rug was the only sound. "What about me?" came Ukyo's voice, quietly breaking the silence, "aren't I your fiancé too?"

Ranma gave Ukyo a confused stare. "Uh, I don't see what your point is?"

"You jackass, don't you see? When Akane chose your cure over her womanhood, she was giving up on being your fiancé," Ukyo said.

Ranma rolled his eyes, "oh please, is this what you really think?"

"But Ranma, it's true," Akane said, "do you think that I just did this without knowing the consequences?"

Ranma was even more confused. "Really?" he asked. Akane nodded. "Wow," Ranma said, stunned, "I mean, now that I know this…" he trailed off. Akane looked on, thankful that he finally got it. "You're even dumber than I thought Akane."

"What?!" screamed Akane. That idiot still didn't get it.

"Oh come on Ranma honey, there's a time to cut your losses," Ukyo said. "She made her choice, just let it be."

Ranma was confused. "Do you know me?" Ranma asked. "I'm serious, did you forget who you're talking to? Ranma Saotome never gives up, there is always a way to win."

Nabiki coughed, "Saotome secret technique?"

"A strategic maneuver," Ranma replied, casually dismissing Nabiki. "The point is, I never gave up on my curse, why would you think I'd give up on Akane?"

"But, Ranma," Ukyo said, whining now, "Akane's a boy now, two boys can't be fiancés, what will everyone think? Can you imagine?"

A creepy smile formed on Nabiki's face as her imagination ran with that thought. She was about to voice her response when Kasumi beat her to it, "Oh my!" Everyone turned to look at Kasumi, still sitting at the table. Her cheeks were bright red as she shakily fanned herself. Nabiki gave a wicked giggle, but went to pour her sister a nice calming cup of tea.

"Listen, it's not like me and Akane are going to hold hands or kiss or nothing," Ranma said, ignoring the disappointed sigh from Nabiki. "It's not like I ever wanted to kiss the tomboy before anyways. Nothing's really changed."

"But it's not fair!" Ukyo said. "You're a real pig Ranma honey, you know that? Stringing several girls along for what? Over a year now?" Ukyo was nearly in tears by this point, "And when one of them gives up, you don't even have the decency to let her go. You macho jerk!"

Akane comforted Ukyo, "I kept trying to tell you, he's a complete jerk." Ukyo burst into full on tears, burying her face in Akane's manly chest, much to Akane's dismay.

Ranma watched Ukyo cry on Akane. Why did stupid girls have to cry all the time? "Aw, damn it. Don't cry Ukyo. Listen, I didn't mean to string anybody along, I just never wanted to get married, to anyone. I still don't. C'mon, we're still in high school. Why does everyone always want to talk about marriage all the time?"

"Because you're quite the catch son in law." The whole room turned to see Cologne and Shampoo in the entry way. "If I were a few hundred years younger, I might have given you a go myself," Cologne said, giving Ranma a sly wink. "You know, I was quite the looker in my youth." Everybody shuddered and Cologne burst out cackling.

"Shampoo know how not be pushy. Shampoo give husband time, will be right here when learn that Shampoo is best," Shampoo said, hugging onto Ranma tight.

"That's not pushy?" Ukyo asked, still clinging to Akane, despite being startled out of her tears by the arrival of the Amazons.

Akane rolled his eyes, "Relatively speaking for Shampoo? Probably not."

Nabiki took in the scene, and with all the hot heads in the room, things could get ugly fast. That would put a crimp on her tropical island vacation plans. This conversation needed to end. "Listen, people, we all know Ranma is jerk…"

"Hey!" said Ranma.

"…but we've all had a rough day already. Let's just put this conversation off for a while, relax, enjoy some of this fantastic food, and take some time to think about things. We aren't going anywhere for a while anyways."

"Yes, please everyone," Kasumi said, "come back to the table. It would be a shame to waste all this beautiful food." Nobody felt that they wanted to disappoint Kasumi, so everyone returned to the table. Shampoo sat with Ranma, Akane and Ukyo sat across from them, Cologne sat near Kasumi, and Nabiki took the end seat.

Akane looked around, "hey, where'd Ryoga go?"

"Huh?" Ranma asked, face already stuffed with food. Gulping down the bite Ranma looked around as well, "hmm, thought it sounded quiet in here."

"Oh, Ryoga?" Kasumi said, "he left a while ago, while you were arguing. He said something about having to find it, whatever it is."

"Oh no!" Akane said, "should we go find him? You know how lost he gets."

"Nah," Ranma replied, "he knows how to take care of himself. Besides, this is an island, how lost could he get?" Akane didn't look satisfied. "Look Akane, if he's gone too late, we'll go look for him or something, but until then, I'm going to enjoy the peace and quiet." Akane, just nodded in acceptance.

* * *

In another part of the island, nowhere near the sacred spring.

"Just you wait Ranma, I'll find the spring, and when I'm a full man again, you're going down."

* * *

Words from the Author: I have not abandoned my stories, I still have plans for these ideas. If my stories interest you, please, remain patient with my slow pace. Thank you for reading.


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